Alright, so you wanna know if you can make it to the NBA playin’ only AAU, huh? Well, let me tell ya, it ain’t gonna be a walk in the park, that’s for sure. These young fellas these days, they’re somethin’ else. Runnin’ and jumpin’ like nobody’s business.
I heard tell that a whole bunch of them NBA players, yeah, the big shots, they played in that AAU thing. Lots of ’em, like most of ’em, I reckon. They say it helps ya get good, learn all the fancy moves and play against tough competition. But just playin’ AAU ain’t enough, not by a long shot.
See, gettin’ into the NBA is harder than findin’ a needle in a haystack. They only got a few hundred fellas playin’ in the whole league, and every single one of ’em is a darn good player. I mean, the best of the best, ya know? You gotta be somethin’ special to even get a sniff.
- First off, you gotta be tall, real tall. Like a beanpole, almost.
- Then you gotta be fast, like a jackrabbit.
- And strong, like an ox.
- And you gotta be able to shoot that ball like it’s nobody’s business.
Now, AAU can help ya with some of that, sure. You’ll learn how to dribble and pass and shoot, and you’ll play against other good players. But it ain’t the only way, and it ain’t enough by itself. Most of them boys, they go on to play in college, get even better, and then maybe, just maybe, they get drafted.
I heard some folks sayin’ you gotta finish college, all four years of it. Or you can go play somewhere else, overseas maybe, and then try to get into the NBA. But you gotta be somethin’ special, like I said. Real special.
They got scouts watchin’ these AAU games, yeah. Them fellas lookin’ for the next big thing. They watch how you dribble, how you play defense, how you shoot. They can tell right away if you got what it takes. And if you don’t, well, you’re outta luck.
It ain’t just about talent, though. You gotta work hard, real hard. You gotta practice every day, even when you don’t feel like it. You gotta listen to your coaches, even when they’re yellin’ at ya. And you gotta be tough, real tough. ‘Cause the NBA ain’t for the faint of heart, that’s for sure.
Some folks say you can make it if you are a good shooter, even if you ain’t good at other things. Well, if you look like you can dribble the ball without tripping over your own feet, and if you know a little bit about how to play with the team, like defendin’ and such, then maybe, just maybe you have a chance. But you really need to have the skills.
I heard tell there’s only about 500 players or so in the NBA at any given time. And they got thousands, maybe millions, of young fellas dreamin’ of gettin’ there. So, the odds ain’t exactly in your favor, ya know? It ain’t easy getting there, even for the worst player in the whole NBA, they were still a star before they got there. It seems to be the consensus from some people that they never really stopped dreaming of going into the NBA, so you should never give up hope I guess if you really want it.
But hey, if you got the talent, the drive, and the determination, then maybe, just maybe, you can make it. But don’t go puttin’ all your eggs in one basket, ya hear? Get a good education, learn a trade, just in case. ‘Cause the NBA is a long shot, even for the best of ’em. But if you work hard and believe in yourself, anything is possible, I always say. Even if it’s just a dream, it’s worth fightin’ for.
Tags：NBA, AAU, Basketball, Professional Sports, Athletic Development
